§ SIR MICHAEL SHAW STEWARTsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether the remarks of Lord Deas (as printed at pages 61 and 62 of the Parliamentary Paper relating to the MacLachlan case), on giving his decision at the MacLachlan Trial that the prisoner's declarations were to be read, were taken from a Report revised, or in any other way authorized by that learned Judge?
§ SIR GEORGE GREY, in reply, said, the remarks in question were taken from a Report which had been furnished to him. It was not an authorized Report, but he had never heard its general accuracy questioned. 1317 He bad no doubt that the Report fairly represented the remarks of Lord Deas, but it had not been revised or authorized in any way by the learned Judge.
§ MR. MACAULAYsaid, he wished to ask by what authority an oath was administered to John Ritchie, one of the persons examined by the procurator-fiscal before the Sheriff of Lanarkshire, touching the truth of the statement made by Jessie MacLachlan after her conviction of murder; and for what reason that person alone was sworn to the truth of his answers.
§ SIR GEORGE GREYsaid, that this was entirely a question of procedure, and he was unable to answer the question in the absence of his right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate.